Philosophy Friday: Always Learning

We were born into this world naked and screaming—a blank slate. Within a few short years, we had learned to walk, write our names, and how to play nicely with others. Then came years of schooling, readying us for work as valued, tax-paying citizens, contributing to society.

And then our formal education comes to an abrupt halt. At best, we now receive intermittent workplace training.

Are we done with learning by our mid-twenties? Is there now nothing much of additional value for us to discover and study?

No, this is certainly not true. Humans have accumulated much wonderful knowledge worth learning. We can discover how our physical universe works. Furthermore, there is information that can make you more intelligent and successful.

And we can draw all we want from the well of knowledge, yet it does not run dry—there is always more to learn.

But, from here on in, we must be self-motivated and learn on our own. Many never do. Is it any wonder that we keep repeating the same mistakes?

Let’s learn the important lessons and become much smarter and wiser than our last day at school or university. And leave this world with most of our big questions answered. To dedicate ourselves to become an old soul in a short amount of time. Be a student of life itself. You can’t go wrong with that one. Learn about yourself, other people, the big ideas in science, psychology.

Learn by teaching. Learn life’s big lessons – knowledge that will keep paying dividends for the rest of your life. Read. Read those books containing timeless wisdom.

Also, know what you don’t know. So often, we are not aware of our limitations. The simplest way to get into trouble is to think the world works a certain way when it doesn’t.

“It Ain’t What You Don’t Know That Gets You Into Trouble.
It’s What You Know for Sure That Just Ain’t So.”
— Mark Twain

If you have to choose, prefer broad rather than deep understanding. A minimal amount of knowledge on how, say, money works can help you notice and side-step financial snakepits. Once fallen in, it can take years to climb out of these.

“Those who keep learning will keep rising in life.”
— Charlie Munger

If life was a game, would you not want to get better at it the more you play? Don’t be a clueless player getting stuck on an easy level making the same mistake over and over again, never advancing.

Always keep learning. Continually get better at the game of life. What else is there?